Full Width 
FOCUS MODE
Shortcuts 
Sign Up 
Log In 
Articles 
Reading List More from Dr Alun Withey
If there is one form of transport that perhaps typifies the 18th century more than any other, it is a sedan chair. Recently I have been doing some work on stage coaches, and the experience of what it was actually like to travel in one. This is already turning up some interesting evidence, suggesting that, far … Continue reading Jolted and Jumbled: Riding in a Sedan Chair in the 18th Century
Like it or not, tipping is a big part of hospitality and the service industry. Debates about how much/whether to tip rumble on, but they are not new. Even in the 18th and 19th centuries, travellers were complaining about the amount of unwanted or unexpected extras they had to pay for.
Victorians were inveterate 'swappers' (NB: this might not be what you think!). Newspapers and journals were full of ads for objects sought and to be exchanged. These offer a fascinating insight into what was considered desirable, the value of objects, and the processes of exchange.
Travel today is often portrayed as a healthy activity, good for body, mind…and what’s left of the spirit! A good holiday is generally viewed as a tonic, and holiday company advertisements extol the virtues of ‘getting away’, encountering new places, people and cultures and (if you want to ‘live life to the full’) experiences. As one travel … Continue reading Should I Stay or Should I go?: Encouraging travel in the early modern period.
More in history
Get Out: Excommunicated in Medieval England JamesHoare Thu, 09/11/2025 - 09:02
In the 1970s and the 1980s, French artist Bernard Moninot drew and painted a series of greenhouses. Based on different modes of representation – axonometric projections, outside central perspective and interiors views – Moninot’s greenhouses become autonomous realms. In his aet, Geometry meets poetry. We see the contrast between the greenhouse’s highly ordered transparent … Continue reading "Poetic Geometry: Greenhouses by Bernard Moninot" The post Poetic Geometry: Greenhouses by Bernard Moninot appeared first on Flashbak.
It is a common misconception that life in the Middle Ages was extremely harsh and depressing. This couldn’t be further from the truth! While it is true that, at times, war and disease spread across the land, not all was doom and gloom. People (including peasants) had plenty of free time to enjoy life, […]
The Sisters Who Dared Challenge Caligula
Baptism is a Christian sacrament that marks the initiation into Christian life in most denominations. It symbolizes cleansing, death, and resurrection into a new life. Though a New Testament institution, it has antecedents in Old Testament cleansing rituals. Baptism takes several forms in Christianity, ranging from sprinkling of infants to single or multiple immersions […]
